Luton Town FC vs Blackpool (18th May 2017)

PUBLISHED 23:11 18th May 2017 Hatters suffer 95th-minute play-off heartbreak

LUTON TOWN 3 (Mellor (OG) 36, Cuthbert 45, Hylton (pen) 57)

BLACKPOOL 3 (Delfouneso 22, Gnanduillet 76, Moore (OG) 90+5)

Aggregate: 5-6

Att: 10,032 (461 away)

The Hatters’ promotion dreams ended in the cruellest fashion at Kenilworth Road tonight as Blackpool progressed to the Sky Bet League Two play-off final at Wembley with a 95th-minute goal that earned them a 6-5 aggregate win.

The Hatters fought back from a goal down on the night, and 4-2 overall, to lead 5-4 with a quarter-of-an-hour to play – Alan Sheehan’s 36th-minute shot being turned into his own net by Kelvin Mellor, captain Scott Cuthbert’s header and a Danny Hylton penalty giving the Town the upper hand in front of a capacity crowd of over 10,000.

But the Seasiders levelled matters at 5-5 on aggregate with a 76th-minute header from substitute Armand Gnanduillet.

Then Mellor’s header found its way into the Town net via an attempted clearance ricocheting off goalkeeper Stuart Moore’s back and over the line in an agonising, heart-breaking moment for the Hatters.

Jones named an unchanged team from Sunday’s first leg, but did tweak the formation, returning to the midfield diamond with Glen Rea moving up from centre-half to the holding role.

In front of keeper Moore was a back four of James Justin, Cuthbert, Alan Sheehan and Dan Potts, with Olly Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu to the sides of Rea and Lawson D’Ath at the tip of the diamond. Danny Hylton and Isaac Vassell, with 40 goals between them, were up front.

With a thunderous atmosphere rocking Kenilworth Road, the opening quarter-of-an-hour proved a cagey affair, Blackpool managing the game well and the Town trying to prise an opening to no avail.

The Hatters’ first chance came in the 19th minute when D’Ath was fouled from behind by Neil Danns, and Sheehan stepped up to bend a free-kick around the wall, but it came off a Blackpool head and drifted wide.

Potts got his head on Sheehan’s corner that followed, then delivered a dangerous left-wing cross himself moments later, but Blackpool’s defence stood firm and by the 22nd minute they had increased their single-goal advantage when Cullen broke away down the right and crossed for Nathan Delfouneso to volley home.

Hylton looked to find a way back into things on the half-hour when he burst down the left and cut back a ball that skidded right across the penalty area, evading a host of Hatters players, before Sheehan fed Vassell, whose shot on the turn from 20 yards was easy for Sam Slocombe to gather in the Pool goal.

The Town were level on the night by the 36th minute when Mellor, who had just been booked for a foul on Potts, got in the way of a shot from Sheehan that was heading wide, but the deflection turned it into the bottom corner through a thicket of legs.

Cuthbert spurned a great chance to bring the tie level on aggregate three minutes before the break when the skipper’s glancing header from Lee’s deep free-kick came back off the foot of the post.

But with 45 minutes up, he did get the equaliser, this time meeting Sheehan’s inswinging free-kick from the right – after Blackpool skipper Andy Taylor had brought Justin down to earn a booking – and glancing a header past Slocombe.

The Town had ended the half completely on top, the crowd buzzing at what they were witnessing, and they came out of the blocks quickly after the break too, Hylton stabbing wide at the near post after good work on the left by Mpanzu, who was the next to go close after a lightning quick break by Hylton and D’Ath in the 52nd minute.

Blackpool were struggling to cope with a rampant Town, but during a rare breather for their back four, Danns shot well wide from 20 yards. It was to be only a brief respite, however.

Ian Black, who had come on at half-time for Jack Payne in the visitors’ midfield, was penalised for a trip on Hylton just inside the area and the Town’s leading marksman didn’t need a second invitation from 12 yards, his penalty bouncing down off the underside of the bar and over line to give

Moore had to be on his guard in the 64th minute when Cullen looked to get on the end of a right wing corner from Black, but the Hatters goalkeeper and his back four were defending admirably and the threat remained mostly at the other end.

Lee was the next to tee up Hylton with a lovely cut-back from the left, but the striker’s 12-yard effort flew wide of the far post, then – in the 69th minute – he took a delightful chipped pass from Mpanzu and shot on the turn, but it lacked the power to trouble Slocombe.

Blackpool drew level on aggregate on 76 minutes when Cullen crossed and substitute Armand Gnanduillet beat Moore to the ball to head into an empty net, then the striker’s fellow sub, Bright Osayi-Samuel, blazed over a couple of minutes later when presented with an opening to the left of the six-yard box.

The Town were coming under the cosh, but Mpanzu and Hylton linked well in the 82nd minute to create a chance for Lee, but the midfielder couldn’t keep his header down and he was immediately replaced by Jordan Cook.

Blackpool had the next chance with three minutes to go, but Cullen’s header from Osayi-Samuel’s centre was well off target. Then Moore had to get down low to push Brad Potts’ angled shot, Sheehan mopping up the danger by turning it behind for a corner.

A dangerous cross from the right by D’Ath found its way through to Mpanzu at the far post, and Tom Aldred did well to turn the ex-West Ham man’s cross-shot over his own cross bar with 90 minutes up.

Then Gnanduillet smashed a shot over the Hatters’ bar as both sides went for it, Moore then saving a weak shot from Osayi-Samuel as the visitors finished the 90 minutes in the ascendancy.

Their moment came five minutes into time added on, when Mellor met Black’s right-wing corner with a downward header that Cook tried to clear off the line, but his clearance hit the grounded Moore on the back and trickled over the line.

TOWN: Moore, Justin, Rea, Cuthbert (c), Sheehan, Potts, Lee (Cook 82), Mpanzu, D'Ath, Hylton, Vassell. Subs: O'Donnell, Smith, Marriott, Gambin, Palmer, King (GK)

Yellows: D’Ath, Lee

BLACKPOOL: Slocombe, Mellor, Aimson, Aldred, Robertson, Taylor (c), Payne (Black 46), Danns, Potts, Cullen, Delfouneso (Gnanduillet 57). Subs: Flores, Nolan, Philliskirk, Lyness.

Yellows: Mellor, Taylor, Gnanduillet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yareIp5FWE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUm694SK5O0

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-sky-bet-league-two-blackpool-3719661.aspx

PUBLISHED 23:00 18th May 2017 The** gaffer was "shell-shocked" by the result**

Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted to being “shell-shocked” after his side lost their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final 6-5 on aggregate to a 95th-minute own goal.

The visitors took the lead through Nathan Delfouneso, but the Town were straight back in it when Kelvin Mellor scored an own goal before Scott Cuthbert glanced in from Alan Sheehan’s cross just before the half-time whistle.

Danny Hylton was brought down by substitute Ian Black in the Pool penalty area, which the Town striker put away to extend his team’s lead and put them go in front on aggregate.

The Seasiders dragged themselves back into the tie when Armand Gnanduillet headed past Stuart Moore and then then Gary Bowyer’s side sealed their place at Wembley after Clark Robertson’s knock down deflected off Moore, via Jordan Cook’s attempted clearance, and into the Town goal in the dying moments.

Jones said: “I am devastated, a little bit shell-shocked really. For 76, 77 minutes we were in total control of the game. They scored from a breakaway in the first half, a bit of naivety. We have come back, we are 3-1 up, we were in the ascendancy.

“We had real good opportunities, real good counter attacks and we were building well. We played magnificently well. It’s just an error really has cost us. I really couldn’t see them coming back into the game.

“That’s what happens when you’ve got a big man on and you play it, and we didn’t handle that.

“That’s what has cost us in the end and I am bitterly disappointed. How we went about our work, I was standing there comfortable at 75 minutes – I just couldn’t see them scoring. Then everything changed.”

League Two play-off semi-final, second leg: Luton Town 3 Blackpool 3 (5-6 on aggregate)

Luton Town suffered the most gutting of play-off defeats as they were knocked out by a goal in the final 10 seconds of stoppage time this evening.

With virtually the last kick, a corner swung in from the right was met by Kelvin Mellor whose header beat a slow to react keeper Stuart Moore, as Jordan Cook, stationed on the line, saw his clearance hit Town's stopper and dribbled into the net, stunning the majority of over 10,000 at Kenilworth Road.

With 15 minutes to go, it had looked like the hosts were on their way to Wembley, as they had fought back from going behind to Nathan Delfouneso's opener to lead 3-1 with an own goal by Mellor followed up by Scott Cuthbert's header and Danny Hylton's penalty.

However, an error by keeper Moore who was beaten to the punch by sub Armand Gnanduillet saw the Tangerines level the tie overall at 5-5 and then snatch victory at the very end,

Luton chief Nathan Jones kept an unchanged side for the game, with Jordan Cook in for Jake Gray on the bench the only alteration from the side who lost 3-2 on Sunday night, Blackpool replacing Kyle Vassell with Delfouneso.

Hatters opted for the diamond formation, Glen Rea at the base, Olly Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu either side of Lawson D'Ath, but the visitors began the brighter, clearly setting their stall out to try and manage the game whenever possible, Neil Danns utilising all his experience.

Town looked like the nerves had got the better of them early on, and their mountain got that bit steeper on 22 minutes when some sloppy bits of play were punished as first Mpanzu and then Hylton gave the ball away.

The latter's stray pass went straight to hat-trick hero from the first leg Mark Cullen who powered away from Rea and Alan Sheehan before spotting the completely unmarked Delfouneso who volleyed past Moore to make it 1-0 on the night and 4-2 overall.

Hatters didn't test visiting keeper Sam Slocombe seriously once in the opening 30 minutes, Isaac Vassell's spin and shot an effort he could throw his cap on.

Then, out of nothing, Luton were handed a route back into the game in what was nightmare 30 seconds for visiting defender Mellor.

First he was booked for fouling Dan Potts and then from the resulting free kick, Rea teed up Sheehan whose low drive cannoned off Mellor and into the bottom corner.

Luton should have been in front when Olly Lee's free kick was somehow missed by Scott Cuthbert and rebounded to safety of Dan Potts.

Hylton had two efforts blocked as the volume was cranked up by the home fans, and the roof almost came off when Cuthbert made instant amends for his miss, rising above Slocombe to flick Sheehan's wonderfully executed free kick into the net

After the break, Luton almost had a third as Mpanzu picked the ball up deep in Tangerines territory and played a lovely pass for Hylton who sidefooted wide from just eight yards out.

Luton continued to pour forward, with a wonderful move involving Hylton and D'Ath played in Mpanzu, but he could only shank disappointingly off target at full tilt.

The tie then looked like it had swung into the hosts favour as they were awarded a penalty on 57 minutes when Hylton went over in the area under a challenge from sub Ian Black with referee Darren Deadman pointing the spot.

Town's leading scorer showed nerves of steel to dink his effort down the middle and in off the underside of the bar, putting Luton 3-1 in front and 5-4 ahead in the tie.

Blackpool brought Gnanduillet on as the visitors started to go that bit more direct, Will Aimson's deflected header needing Moore's attention.

With Pools throwing men forward and finally freeing themselves of their first half inhibitions, there were gaps for Town to exploit and they almost did just that as Lee found Hylton in the area and he sliced wide.

Luton to their credit didn't once come off the accelerator, realising that a fourth would probably kill their opponents off once and for all.

However, they with 15 to go, they almost began to relax slightly and paid the price as from a position of dominance, opted to start playing the ball around between them and going to back to Moore.

When his clearance made its way to Cullen, the striker's searching ball into box saw Moore come needlessly haring off his line and caught in no mans land. allowing Gnanduillet to put the the visitors level when they should have been on their way out.

Sub Bright Osayi-Samuel should have made it 3-3 only to hammer horribly over the top from close range as Town were clearly rocked by the goal.

Lee headed over the top, but bar Mpanzu's drilled cross that hit Tom Aldred and flew over, the visitors looked the stronger in the closing stage, with a number of breaks on the counter, forcing a plethora of corners.

Gnanduillet leathered one such break over the top, but from the final set-piece of the night, Town were cruelly undone as on the final whistle, the hosts slumped to the floor,, disbelieving it was the visitors and not they who now head to Wembley on Sunday week.

Hatters: Stuart Moore, Glen Rea, Stuart Cuthbert (C), Alan Sheehan, James Justin, Olly Lee (Jordan Cook 82), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Lawson D'Ath, Dan Potts, Isaac Vassell, Danny Hylton.

Subs: Craig King, Stephen O'Donnell, Jonathan Smith, Luke Gambin, Jack Marriott, Ollie Palmer.

Blackpool: Sam Slocombe, Kelvin Mellor, Andy Taylor (C, Bright Osayi-Samuel 74), Clark Robertson, Will Aimson, Nathan Delfouneso (Armand Gnanduillet 58), Brad Potts, Mark Cullen, Tom Aldred, Jack Payne (Ian Black 46), Neil Danns.

Subs: Dean Lyness, Eddie Nolan, Jordan Florres

Referee: Darren Deadman.

Booked: Mellor 36, Taylor D'Ath 59, Lee 80.

Attendance:10,032 (461 Blackpool).

Jones left 'shell-shocked' by play-off exit

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left completely and utterly shell-shocked that with the manner in which his were knocked out of the play-offs against Blackpool last night.

Luton were in total control of the tie with 14 minutes to go, leading 3-1 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.

However, keeper Stuart Moore than rashly came racing off his line to try and claim Mark Cullen’s ball in, only to be beaten by Armand Gnanduillet whose header looped into the empty net.

Worse was to follow as with the final kick, Kelvin Mellor’s header somehow beat both Moore and Jordan Cook stationed on the line, to make it 3-3, with Blackpool progressing to Wembley 6-5.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “I’m devastated, a little bit shell-shocked really as for 76, 77 minutes, we were in total control of the game.

“They scored from a breakaway first half, bit of naivety really and then we came back to go 3-1 up.

“We were really in the ascendancy we had real good opportunities, had good counter attacks, we were building well, and we played magnificently well.

“But just an error really has cost us got them back in it because i could not see them coming back into the game.

“It’s what happens when you’ve got a big man on and we didn’t handle that, and that’s what’s cost us in the end.

“I’m bitterly disappointed because how we went about our work, I’m standing there really relaxed at 72, 73 minutes as I just couldn’t see them scoring.”

Luton had fallen 1-0 behind on the night and 4-2 overall when Nathan Delfouneso volleyed home, before Mellor’s own goal and a Scott Cuthbert header saw Town 2-1 in front.

Danny Hylton’s penalty on the hour mark looked to be sending the hosts to Wembley, until the late drama as Jones added: “First half, the only thing they had was that one counter attack, it really was.

“We were excellent, we really were, we started well, we moved the ball well, we were dominating and then they scored out of nothing.

“We showed real character, we came back, scored two before half time, and then we say, ‘can we go again.’

“One goal then wins it for us, we get the goal and we’re in total control, there’s no worries whatsoever, and then one moment, the whole game changes.

“That’s what sport’s about, and that’s what we need to eradicate.”

'Calamity' goals leaves** Luton chief scratching his head**

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left to rue his side’s calamitous defending as they were knocked out of the play-offs by Blackpool last night.

After Nathan Delfouneso had taken advantage of some poor marking to put the visitors ahead, Luton, who had been beaten 3-2 at Bloomfield Road on Sunday, shot back to lead the tie 5-4 on aggregate through Kelvin Mellor’s own goal, Scott Cuthbert’s header and a 27th of the season for Danny Hylton from the penalty spot.

However, Armand Gnanduillet then headed home after an error by keeper Stuart Moore with 14 minutes to go, before Mellor’s last-gasp header from a corner won it as a stunned Jones knew it was an area that has cost Town time and time again this term.

He said: “They’re not great goals to give away, there’s real calamity in the goals and that’s the frustrating thing.

“Because we work so hard on our structure, how we play, we educate the players and then just need to do your defensive disciplines.

“If we’d been disciplined all over, then we wouldn’t have lost either game, but we have and that’s been the thing.

“There’s been games here, Cheltenham, where we’re gifting teams goals and we really have to earn goals.

“We’ve scored some wonderful goals, we had one bit of luck at Accrington, where they scored an own goal, that’s the only bit of luck we’ve really had as we’ve had to carve teams open, we've had to earn every single thing we’ve had this season.

“We’ve just been naive at the crucial times, even late on when they took a short corner, we didn’t learn from the Oxford game and we’ve spoken 100 times about the Oxford game where they took the short corner and scored.

“That’s the naivety that has cost us this year. I’m proud of how we played, proud about we went about our work, you can see we’re a wonderful side at times, but we just need to see that game out.”

After netting five times themselves over the two legs, Jones felt that should have been enough to earn a place in the final against Exeter City, only for Luton's defence to crumble in both ties.

He added: “We scored five goals in the play-offs and in any other league that takes you to Wembley.

“It didn’t as we conceded six and the goals we conceded weren’t great goals to give away.

“One was a counter attack from giving the ball away in their half and we didn’t deal with that.

“The second’s a big error and then thirdly we don’t deal with a set play and we still had an opportunity after they’ve actually won the header to clear it and we don’t.

“The goals from our point of view over the two legs, were really, really poor, they really, really are. When you concede six, it’s difficult to win a play-off.”

Hatters** boss: Lack of subs didn't lose us the game**

Hatters boss Nathan Jones didn’t feel that his lack of substitutions during yesterday’s play-off semi-final second left exit at the hands of Blackpool had any bearing on the final result.

The visitors made all three changes by the 74th minute, with towering centre forward Armand Gnanduillet proving an inspired introduction, as he crucially beat Town keeper Stuart Moore to Mark Cullen's hopeful ball into the box, making it 3-2 on the night and drawing his side level on aggregate.

Jones only made one alteration, that to bring on Jordan Cook for his first minutes in over a month, replacing Olly Lee with eight minutes to go, with the midfielder unable to keep out Kelvin Mellor’s header from the goal-line in stoppage time.

On his decision not to bring on the likes of Ollie Palmer, Jack Marriott or Luke Gambin, Town’s boss said: “We could have made changes, but we never, we were in total command of a game.

“Then we thought the minimum we were doing was going into extra time. We hadn’t had any threats from anything and then suddenly we don’t defend a set-play well enough and it’s an error for the goal.

“You can’t make changes for that. We would have made changes in extra time going into it, but it was one of those things.”

Defender Alan Sheehan looked like he was struggling with cramp late on, but on the defender not leaving the field, Jones added: “We were looking to make the changes, but he’s okay, then he’s not, it’s a bit frantic late on and so on.

“That wasn’t the reason we lost the game in any way though.”

Luton Town 3 Blackpool 3 (5-6 on aggregate)

Play-off heartache number five came in the cruellest possible fashion for Luton Town at Kenilworth Road tonight.

Just like in the first leg at Blackpool, Luton fell behind only to turn it around to lead at half time and level the scores on aggregate, before Danny Hylton's spot kick put Luton in the driving seat on aggregate for the first time since the 47th minute of the first leg.

But an awful moment for Stuart Moore allowed Armand Gnanduillet to level the tie before Jordan Cook's clearance from a Clark Robertson effort went in off Moore for a cruel equaliser on the night, and overall winner, in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

After a nervous and tentative first 20 minutes or so it was Blackpool who took the lead following a catalogue of errors from Luton. From a Hatters attack, Hylton's pass went astray to Mark Cullen near the centre circle, and he put the afterburners on to sprint past Alan Sheehan. Scott Cuthbert then came across to cover, leaving Nathan Delfouneso on his own in the area to sidefoot home.

Cue the Blackpool timewasting – but just as Luton had pulled it around in the first leg, so they did again with two goals in the final 10 minutes of the half, both coming from Alan Sheehan assists.

The first, on 36 minutes, saw the Irishman's shot deflected into his own net by Pools defender Will Mellor, and the second, on the stroke of half time, saw Sheehan's free kick met with a bullet header from Scott Cuthbert. It was only a second ever Luton goal for the Scottish centre back, and a first ever at Kenilworth Road, making amends for a sitter he had missed from a similar position moments earlier.

It was a turnaound akin to the first leg, after which Blackpool had ruined things by scoring two minutes into the second half. This time, Luton should have got the goal they needed to take an aggregate lead two minutes into the second half, but the normally clinical Hylton fired wide from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's cross when well placed.

Minutes later it was Mpanzu himself holding his head in his hands after scooping over from a good position following good play by Hylton and Lawson D'Ath, who perhaps should have taken the shot himself. But the pressure finally paid off 10 minutes into the second 45 when Hylton was clipped just inside the area and picked himself up to take the spot kick, which he calmly placed into the top right hand corner off the underside of the crossbar.

Hylton should have put Luton further ahead after being teed up neatly by Olly Lee soon after but fired wide from a position he should have done better from, while at the other end, Sheehan made a vital challenge to prevent Gnanduillet a free run on goal from in the area.

And it was Gnanduillet who pulled the tie level on aggregate with 15 minutes remaining, getting first to Cullen's cross ahead of Moore, who came rushing out for a ball he never looked like reaching.

Gnanduillet twice failed to find the unmarked Cullen in injury time, also blasting over when a certain winner beckoned, but it mattered little for Blackpool as they scrambled in a last gasp winner off the back of the unfortunate Moore from an attempted clearance to send them to Wembley and leave Luton to ponder what could have been.

Luton manager 'shell shocked and devastated'

Shell shocked and devastated is how manager Nathan Jones described his emotions after Luton Town's heart-breaking play-offs exit last night.

With 14 minutes minutes to play at Kenilworth Road, the Hatters were 3-1 up on the night, 5-4 up on aggregate and heading for Wembley.

But a goalkeeping error when there was no danger and a last-gasp own goal instead turned both the game and the tie on its head, and it will be Blackpool who instead contest the League Two final against Exeter City.

Jones said: "I'm devastated and a little bit shell shocked really because for 76 minutes we were in total control of the game. They scored a good goal first half, but we came back and were 3-1 up. We were really in the ascendancy and had some really good opportunities.

"We were building well and playing magnificently well, but an error cost us and let them back in it. I could not see them coming back into the game, but that's what happens when you put a big man on. We didn't handle that and that's what's cost us.

"I'm bitterly disappointed because how went about our work, I was really relaxed for 76 minutes and couldn't see them scoring. First half the only thing they had was that one counter attack. They scored out of nothing but we showed real character to come back and score two before half time.

"We knew one goal would win it for us then and we were in total control, but in one moment the game changes, and that's what sport is about."

Most frustrating for Jones was the manner in which the goals were conceded – soft goals which were easily preventable and which proved costly at such a crucial stage in the tie.

He said: "We just can't concede six goals over two games and expect to go through. If you score five goals in a play-off in any other league that takes you to Wembley, but when you concede six you're not going to win a play-off.

"They're poor goals to give away. One was a counter attack in their half we didn't deal with, the second goal was a big error and the third goal we didn't deal with the set play. Over the two legs the goals we conceded were really really poor, not great goals to give away.

"There's real calamity in the goals, and that's the frustrating thing as we work so hard on our structure and how we play. We educate the players, they just need to be disciplined, and if we'd been disciplined all over we wouldn't have lost. But we have, and that's been the thing.

"It's like Cheltenham, when we were gifting teams goals, while we really have to earn goals. We had one bit of luck up at Accrington where they scored the own goal and suddenly their manager is saying how much they deserved to win.

"That's the only bit of luck we've had, we earn every single thing we've had. Elements of naivity have cost us this year – but I'm proud of how we've played and proud of how we've gone about our work."

Luton boss on Hylton's late fitness test and his lack of subs last night

Danny Hylton was only a late inclusion in the Luton Town side for last night's play-off exit to Blackpool, manager Nathan Jones has revealed.

The Hatters top scorer has not trained all week and was not initially included in Jones' plans, but was thrown in anyway and scored the penalty which looked to be sending Luton to Wembley.

That was until two catastrohic late Blackpool goals turned the tie on its head and booked the Seasiders a place in the final instead.

Jones said: "He (Hylton) shouldn't have played, he had a fitness test tonight. He wasn't down to play at all as he hasn't trained since the first leg.

"It's surreal because he's a warrior. He's been unbelievable this year, he really has, and I thought he was magnificent tonight. He led the line well and was a constant menace. He got the penalty and created havoc in there.

"I thought he was himself tonight. All the boys were terrific, they've been brilliant for me all year. They're a young group, and they have got to come back from it because it's a learning curve."

Jones chose to make just the one substitution on the night, bringing Jordan Cook on for Olly Lee late on, but doesn't feel that's why his side crashed out.

He added: "I could have made changes but I thought we were in total command of the game, then we thought minimum we would be going into extra time, then suddenly it's an error for goal and we don't defend a set play well.

"I would have made changes going into extra time. Cuthbert was fine and then he wasn't, and it was all getting a bit hectic at the end, but that wasn't the reason we lost the game."